‘Crime Crisis’ in SVG, says Dr Friday

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Dr Godwin Friday has concluded that St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), is experiencing a “crime crisis,” as the homicide count for 2024 is projected to surpass last year’s homicide count of 55. Already, there are 53 reported cases of homicides, with the latest killing taking pace on Monday night, December 16, at Sion Hill.

Speaking on the New Democratic Party’s New Times radio programme on Monday, the NDP president said St Vincent and the Grenadines is experiencing a murder crisis, a homicide crisis, and a violence crisis.

“The situation with the homicide in this country is a crisis.

“The country is falling apart literally,” Friday stated.

While he was speaking on Monday morning, the homicide count stood at 52, hours later it rose to 53 with the fatal shooting at Sion Hill.

He said the situation as it relates to crime, is terrible, as crime seems to be happening “anywhere and everywhere.” The NDP leader chided the government saying it is not showing a sense of urgency to combat the problem of crime and violence.

The Opposition Leader asserted that apart from the loss of life, homicides contribute to a further loss in society when young people are “cut down early in life”.

He said these victims could have been potential contributors to society, and noted that “it is a terrible strain for us as a country”.

Friday said the first priority of government, should be the security of the State.

“Without that, you can’t proceed to do anything else.

“The situation with crime in this country is the worst that it has ever been,” the Opposition Leader stressed.

Speaking on NBC radio on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, spoke of some initiatives the government will put in place to deal with the crime situation. These include the formation of a National Gun Crime and Special Branch Unit within the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police force.

There also will be more police vehicles on mobile patrol, and cameras placed in areas that are known crime hot spots.